Poverty seen in Bengal not seen anywhere else in India: Amit Shah

Kolkata, April 27 (IANS) BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday called the level of poverty in Bengal as the worst in the country, and exuded confidence that the state would become as prosperous as Maharashtra and Gujarat once his party forms a government after the next assembly polls.

Amit Shah, who completed his three-day visit to the state on Thursday on the first leg of his 15-day Vistar Yatra (party expansion tour), thanked the people for making the trip a "grand success".

"The sort of poverty seen in Bengal, is not seen anywhere else in the country. I assure you once the BJP forms a government here, Bengal will also become prosperous like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana," he said while addressing party's booth level workers at Sukantanagar of Rajarhat in the city's north eastern fringes.

Amit Shah said the enthusiasm he has seen over the three days, makes him confident that his Bharatiya Janata Party will form a government in Bengal in 2021.

"I want to thank the people of Bengal with folded hands for making our booth level programme a grand success. Looking at the enthusiasm among the people, one thing is certain-- 'Ab ki bar Bengal me BJP sarkar (this time, Bengal will have a BJP government)," he said.

The BJP wants to form such a government in Bengal, that would protect the state's culture and heritage as well as address the burning issues like unemployment and infiltration, he added.

"We want such a government here, that people do not have to worry before organising Saraswati Puja in Bengal or rush to the High Court to get permission for the immersion of the Durga idol.

"We want such a government that would bring employment to the unemployed and stop the Bangladeshi infiltrators right at the border," Shah said.

Accusing the Trinamool Congress state government of unleashing "unprecedented torture" on the people, Shah insisted on forming a "people's government" in the state under the leadership of BJP.

"The sort of torture that has been perpetrated on the people of Bengal, is unprecedented in independent India. The BJP has decided to end the era of torment on Bengal's people and bring a people's government here," he said.